Lot certificates published
Plain, secure packaging
Purely Peptides
Research Catalog

Compound monograph

Elamipretide

Elamipretide is a synthetic linear tetrapeptide with D-arginine, L-2′,6′-dimethyltyrosine, L-lysine and L-phenylalanine in that order, a free N-terminal amino group and a C-terminal primary carboxamide.

Published: 2026-09-28Last updated: 2026-10-15Literature/identifier verification: 2026-09-28
Also known asBendaviaSS-31
Aromatic cationic tetrapeptides

01

Identity & nomenclature

Elamipretide is a synthetic linear tetrapeptide with D-arginine, L-2′,6′-dimethyltyrosine, L-lysine and L-phenylalanine in that order, a free N-terminal amino group and a C-terminal primary carboxamide.

SS-31 is the admitted laboratory designation. Bendavia is a historical investigational designation. The parent registry identifiers do not identify the trihydrochloride salt.

Declared aliases and development codes: Bendavia, SS-31.

02

Molecular properties

Molecular formulaC32H49N9O5
Molecular mass639.802 Da
CAS Registry Number736992-21-5
PubChem CID11764719
UNII87GWG91S09
Three-letter sequenceD-Arg–Dmt–Lys–Phe
Terminal groupsFree N-terminus; C-terminal amidation at Phe4

Positions are numbered from the N-terminus. Dmt denotes 2′,6′-dimethyltyrosine; the primes identify aromatic-ring positions. In shorthand, NH2 denotes the C-terminal amide rather than another residue. A standard one-letter string is withheld because it cannot preserve D-Arg1 or the two ring methyl groups of Dmt2; this chemistry is outside the automated sequence-formula model.

03

Structural characteristics

The molecular formula and average mass describe the unsalted, unhydrated parent peptide. Two ring methyl substitutions contribute C2H4 relative to tyrosine. The defined structure has no disulfide.

  • D-Arg at position 1
  • Two aromatic-ring methyl substituents at positions 2′ and 6′ of L-tyrosine at peptide position 2

Terminal features: Free N-terminus, C-terminal amidation at Phe4.

04

Molecular targets & mechanisms

05

Analytical considerations

The CIAAW 2024 abridged calculation gives an average mass of 639.802 Da. The dossier preserves a numerical discrepancy with the GSRS value of 639.79 whose atomic-weight convention was not established. Equal formula and mass do not distinguish SS-31 from the differently ordered SS-02 peptide.

Disagreements and mix-ups

Points where sources disagree about this compound's identity, or where a name or form is easily confused with another, as noted in this record. The discrepancy register quotes the passage for each one.

What the studies reported

Each finding describes one cited study in its stated model. These observations are specific to that study and do not establish effects in other settings.

Cell and tissue studies

  • Rat brain-derived EC219 endothelial cells

    Wyss et al. observed inhibition of aminopeptidase A activity by native SS-31 in rat brain-derived EC219 endothelial cells, while SS-31 did not inhibit γ-glutamyl transferase activity in the same intact-cell model.

    Reference [1]

  • Large unilamellar vesicles containing an 80:20 molar ratio of POPC:tetraoleoyl cardiolipin

    Mitchell et al. measured SS-31 binding to large unilamellar vesicles containing an 80:20 molar ratio of phosphatidylcholine to tetraoleoyl cardiolipin by isothermal titration calorimetry, with an average binding stoichiometry of 5.4 accessible lipids per bound peptide.

    Reference [2]

  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae mitoplasts and 80:20 POPC:tetraoleoyl-cardiolipin large unilamellar vesicles

    Mitchell et al. observed a saturable reduction in membrane surface charge with SS-31 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae mitoplasts and in 80:20 phosphatidylcholine:tetraoleoyl-cardiolipin vesicles using the fluorescent reporter 1,8-ANS.

    Reference [2]

  • Isolated Saccharomyces cerevisiae mitochondria

    Mitchell et al. found no measurable change in the TMRM-detected transmembrane potential of isolated Saccharomyces cerevisiae mitochondria with SS-31 under the tested conditions (three independent samples).

    Reference [2]

  • Serum-deprived human ARPE-19 retinal pigment epithelial cells

    Mitchell et al. observed an increase in TMRM fluorescence after SS-31 exposure in human ARPE-19 retinal pigment epithelial cells following three days of serum deprivation, consistent with partial restoration of mitochondrial membrane potential (p<0.05; three independent experiments).

    Reference [2]

  • Human HK-2 kidney epithelial cells in serum-containing medium

    Mitchell et al. found no effect of SS-31 on viability of human HK-2 kidney epithelial cells grown for three days in serum-containing medium.

    Reference [2]

Animal studies

  • Male mice; plasma, liver and kidney

    Wyss et al. reported a time to peak SS-31 concentration of 1.0 hour in plasma, liver, and kidney in six male mice, with corresponding half-lives of 0.3, 0.9, and 1.1 hours.

    Reference [1]

  • 10-week-old male BALB/c mice with aristolochic-acid-induced acute kidney injury

    Wyss et al. reported lower mean creatinine in SS-31-treated 10-week-old male BALB/c mice with aristolochic-acid-induced acute kidney injury (162 ± 21 µmol/L) than in the aristolochic-acid-only group (258 ± 92 µmol/L).

    Reference [1]

  • Male BALB/c mice with aristolochic-acid- or adriamycin-induced acute kidney injury

    Wyss et al. observed further increases in kidney COX-2 mRNA with SS-31 in male BALB/c mice with aristolochic-acid- or adriamycin-induced acute kidney injury, and reported that SS-31 did not reduce the measured inflammatory-gene expression in the aristolochic-acid model except for NF-κB1.

    Reference [1]

06

Verified bibliography

Cited studies by type

The 2 papers this record cites, counted by the kind of work each reports. A count is the size of this record's selection, not of the research that exists, and says nothing about results, safety, effectiveness or approval.

A paper can report more than one kind of work. Each count opens those papers in the bibliography. Compare every record on the Evidence Map.

  1. Reference 1

    Differential Effects of the Mitochondria-Active Tetrapeptide SS-31 (D-Arg-dimethylTyr-Lys-Phe-NH(2)) and Its Peptidase-Targeted Prodrugs in Experimental Acute Kidney Injury.

    Wyss JC, Kumar R, Mikulic J, Schneider M, Mary JL, Aebi JD, Juillerat-Jeanneret L, Golshayan D

    Frontiers in pharmacology · 2019-11-08 · Journal Article

    current
    PMID 31780923PMC6857474DOI 10.3389/fphar.2019.01209Elamipretide

  2. Reference 2

    Structure-activity relationships of mitochondria-targeted tetrapeptide pharmacological compounds.

    Mitchell W, Tamucci JD, Ng EL, Liu S, Birk AV, Szeto HH, May ER, Alexandrescu AT, Alder NN

    eLife · 2022-08-01 · Journal Article

    current
    PMID 35913044PMC9342957DOI 10.7554/eLife.75531Elamipretide

Study models of these references

What kind of experiment each cited paper reports, taken from its abstract unless marked. Not a summary of results.

ReferenceStudy models
Wyss JC et al. 2019Study models reported: in vitro; animal (mouse) · from the abstract
Mitchell W et al. 2022Study models reported: in vitro · from the abstract

Record history

Published 2026-09-28.

  • : Sequence and structure

Each entry names the parts of this record that changed on that date. Changes to links between records and to catalogue links are not listed. This history covers the tracked record fields; study findings are not listed here.

Cite this record: Purely Peptides Research Library. Elamipretide. Published 2026-09-28; updated 2026-10-15. https://purelypeptides.org/research/compounds/elamipretide/

10

Methodology & citation verification

Reference identity is checked against official PubMed metadata. Local deterministic receipts bind each normalized title and canonical metadata record to its verification date. Scientific values remain absent when an authoritative source has not been verified.

Read the full methodology →